The invention relates to an aircraft seat comprising control means for simultaneously controlling the movement of the legrest and footrest.
Aircraft seats are already known in which the legrest and footrest are controlled simultaneously.
The applicant has been selling since 1990, under the name xe2x80x9cGoldwingxe2x80x9d, a seat comprising control means for making the legrest pivot between two positions defined above and simultaneously controlling the progressive emergence of the footrest according to a predetermined kinematics so that the footrest does not touch the floor.
In this seat, an electric motor is disposed between the squab and the legrest, able to control the movement of the latter. The legrest and footrest are connected by a mechanical link.
The electric motor controls the pivoting of the legrest fixed in an articulated fashion to the seat squab between a substantially vertical position and a position situated substantially in line with the squab.
The mechanical link between the legrest and the footrest is such that, when the legrest pivots, the footrest moves between a retracted position and an extension position situated in line with the legrest; the progressive emergence of the footrest occurring according to a kinematics predetermined so that the footrest does not touch the floor.
This device does however have the drawback of not making it possible to adjust the length of extension of the footrest independently of the position of the legrest. The result is a situation of discomfort for the user, who cannot adjust the footrest to his size.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,020 describes an aircraft seat having a legrest and a footrest controlled independently of each other.
However, the control device described in this document does not prevent the footrest from touching the floor. Only wheels are provided for preventing the footrest suffering damage.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,949 and EP 774 913 describe a seat having a legrest and a footrest, the extension of the footrest being adjustable independently of the legrest. Means of controlling the legrest and footrest prevent the footrest from touching the floor.
To this end, the U.S. Pat. No. 5,887,949 and EP 774 913 describe a seat having two electric motors for controlling the legrest and footrest.
Sensors are associated with these motors and are connected to a central unit which determines, from data from sensors, the instantaneous positions of the legrest and of the footrest.
According to the positions determined, the central unit controls the movement of the legrest or of the footrest or refuses this where there is a risk that the footrest may touch the floor.
However, this device has the drawback of requiring many sensors and a complex system of controlling the position of the footrest.
The purpose of the invention is to produce an aircraft seat which does not have the drawbacks of existing seats.
To this end, the invention relates to a seat, notably for an aircraft, comprising:
a squab,
a backrest fixed in an articulated fashion to the structure of the seat so as to be able to adjust its inclination,
a legrest fixed in an articulated fashion to the structure of the seat so as to be able to adjust its inclination between a substantially vertical position and a position situated substantially in line with the squab,
a footrest carried by the said legrest, able to move between a retracted position and an extension position situated in line with the legrest,
control means for making the legrest pivot between the two positions defined above and simultaneously controlling the progressive emergence of the footrest according to a predetermined kinematics so that the legrest does not touch the floor.
The seat according to the invention is characterised in that the said control means consist of an electronic circuit cooperating with actuators in order to make the legrest pivot and simultaneously provide the progressive emergence or retraction of the footrest, the said electronic circuit also cooperating with means able to be actuated by the user in order to adjust the position of the footrest between a maximum extension position corresponding to the said predetermined kinematics of emergence of the footrest and the completely retracted position.
Just like the previous seat of the applicant described above, the seat according to the invention therefore has a legrest and a footrest whose kinematics is predetermined.
On the other hand, it has the advantage of allowing the adjustment of the footrest independently of the legrest.
The device described in the invention also has the following advantages:
the problem of the footrest touching the floor does not arise, the imposed kinematics avoiding the floor,
it does not require the instantaneous determination of the positions of the legrest and of the footrest to prevent the latter touching the floor.
In a variant, the said electronic circuit cooperates with the said means able to be actuated by the user in order to adjust the position of the footrest independently of the legrest when the said legrest is immobile.
The seat can also comprise the following characteristics, alone or in combination.
The electronic circuit comprises a central unit for managing the kinematics of the legrest and of the footrest.
The said control means include a control box comprising at least one button for controlling the pivoting of the legrest and at least one button for controlling the adjustment of the extension of the footrest.
These buttons permit one or other or both of the controls described above.
The said button for controlling the adjustment of the extension of the footrest simultaneously controls the pivoting of the legrest when the latter is in the said substantially vertical position, according to the said determined kinematics.
The said button for controlling the pivoting of the legrest between a position close to the said position situated substantially in line with the squab and a position close to the said substantially vertical position, simultaneously controls the retraction or the emergence of the footrest, the latter being situated in any position between its maximum extension position and its totally retracted position.
The seat according to the invention comprises a first motor for controlling the movement of the legrest placed between the squab and the legrest and a second motor for controlling the movement of the footrest placed between the legrest and the footrest.
Other particularities and advantages of the invention will also emerge from the following description.